• 51-16501 USAF #1091. L-20A No: 92. Command AF-1. Delivered 06-Jun-1952. Command AF-1. Built as L-20A and re-designated U-6A in 1962.
• N9239 USAF Flying Club, Raleigh, NC. Regd Oct-1969.
• N9239 North Carolina Forest Service, Raleigh, NC. Left register 21-Jan-1981.
• 51-16501 USAF Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH.
USAF History
51-16501 was made available on 16-May-1952, and accepted on 26-May-1952 by the 6600th Air Depot AMO (Air Material Overseas Unit), at Downsview, Ontario after which it was assigned to the Tactical Air Command. It was delivered to Biggs AFB, El Paso, TX on 06-Jun-1952 and joined the 1st Liaison Squadron remaining until 22-Jul when it moved to 3rd Liaison Squadron at George AFB, Victorville, CA. It was then reassigned to the Air Material Command and went to the Sacramento Air Material Area, at McLellan AFB, California on 08-Jan-1953 and on to Burbank, San Francisco, California on 22-Jan-1953 prior to embarkation to Japan and being assigned to the Far East Air Force.
Arriving in Japan on 29-Jan-1953 it was initially at the 6408th Maintenance and Supply unit at Kisarazu before joining the 3rd Liaison Squadron at Komaki on 13-Mar-1953. A section of this Unit moved to Johnson AFB, Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, north of western Tokyo, Japan on 04-Apr-1953. It remained until 03-Sep-1954 after which it was moved to Showa and the 6400th Air Depot for maintenance. It then returned to the 3rd Liaison Squadron main base at Komaki for a couple of weeks before moving again to Johnson AFB on 21-Nov-1954. A lengthy stay followed until 21-Oct-1956 and then on to the 3rd Tactical Bombardment Wing until 27-Oct-1956 before a return visit to Showa, now known as the Air Material, Northern Air Maintenance Area (AMP NAMAR) for servicing. It returned to the same unit at Johnson, but only for a few months until 01-Aug-1957 after which it is shown as again assigned to Showa once again re designated now as Northern Maintenance Pacific (NMP SHATJ) but only for one day, 01-Aug-1957. The reason is unknown but perhaps just a documentary error (They happened) as it is then shown as being with the 3rd Tactical Bombardment Wing which was still at Johnson and then a move over to the 6041st Air Base Wing on 25-Oct-1957 on the same base remaining until 09-Apr-1960.
The aircraft then transferred to Tachikawa Air Force Base, close by Tokyo on 09-Apr-1960. This was designated as the Air Material Force, Pacific Area (AMFPA) at the time. This was re-assigned to the Pacific Air Force and the unit re designated 6100th Air Base Wing on 31-Dec-1960. The unit was subsequently re designated as a Support Wing on 01-Jul-1960.
A return to mainland USA and Hagerstown, Maryland and the Fairchild Aircraft Facility, part of the Logistics Command occurred on 27-Mar-1963. It was stored until re allocated and assigned to the Strategic Air Command and the 6th Strategic Wing at Walker AFB, Roswell, New Mexico on 19-Jun-1963.
The remaining military history of this aircraft is to be researched.
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